With Strade Bianche, Roma Maxima and the prologue of Paris-Nice Vacansoleil-DCM had three top events on their calendar this weekend.

Thanks to two third places AND their famous race style the Dutch team of general manager Daan Luijkx can say it was a confidence raising weekend.

Lieuwe Westra became third in the prologue of Paris-Nice in less than a second from the winner and Grega Bole was close to a prestigious win in Roma Maxima with his third position. Also in Strade Bianche, on Saturday, the team was in the spotlights with an impressive solo of a very strong Juan Antonio Flecha.

Westra: “Since the prologue was short and technical I wanted to reduce the damage. I took all risks and went full gas where possible. The result is superb. It proves that I am more than okay. I felt power. It seems that I’m in shape on the good moment.”

Bole: “Third is good, but it also means that two were better. In the beginning my legs weren’t good at all, but in the second race half I started to feel better and better. The team kept on believing in me and made sure that I stayed in the front. The flowers are for all of my team mates.”

SD Jean-Paul van Poppel: “I’ve seen that the team is getting ready for the important next weeks. Flecha was very strong on Saturday and that’s promising. We have attacked, we have coloured the races and we were in the picture. That was our goal, so I’m satisfied.”

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